Member's Day

Today is the first Member's Day of the new Parliamentary year, and it promises to deliver the government a defeat. After Alastair Scott's Crimes (Increased Penalty for Providing Explosive to Commit Crime) Amendment Bill - a government spam bill - the House will debate the first reading of Jan Logie's Domestic Violence—Victims’ Protection Bill, which the government has been forced to back. Which means the bill will apparently now pass its first reading with unanimous support, unless ACT decides to go full regressive on it.

Following the main event there's Kelvin Davis' Housing Corporation (Affordable Housing Development) Amendment Bill and Gareth Hughes' Student Loan Scheme (First Home Repayment Diversion) Amendment Bill. If things go quickly then the House should make a start on Scott Simpson's Employment Relations (Allowing Higher Earners to Contract Out of Personal Grievance Provisions) Amendment Bill. There should be a ballot for at least three bills tomorrow.